President Muhammadu Buhari will, on Sunday, July 15, 2018, depart for the Netherlands to participate in activities commemorating the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), at The Hague.
A statement by Mr. Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, announced on Saturday.
According to the release, Buhari is the only world leader invited to deliver a keynote address during the Solemn Hearing to commemorate the anniversary at Courtroom 1 of the ICC’s Headquarters at The Hague.
In buttressing Nigeria’s commitment as a member of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC, the President, as the current anti-corruption champion for the African Union, will use the global platform to reaffirm Nigeria’s support to the fundamental values of the Rome Statute and to the ideals of the ICC. He will also highlight his administration’s campaign against corruption in Nigeria.
After the event at the Courtroom, the President will have a bilateral meeting with the ICC Prosecutor, Ms. Fatou Bensouda.
Buhari will attend a dinner hosted by Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji, the President of the ICC, a Nigerian.
The Nigerian leader, while in The Hague, will meet with the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, to discuss bilateral issues such as migration, peace and security, and economic cooperation.
The President and his delegation will have a separate roundtable with some Dutch Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of companies based in Nigeria with a view to urging them to expand their investments, especially in agriculture, oil and gas in Nigeria.
President Buhari will also tour the Port of Rotterdam and Shell Refinery Pernis, Hoogvliet.
On the margins of the President’s visit, Nigeria and the Netherlands will sign a Memorandum of Understanding on bilateral consultations.
On the President’s delegation are: Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State; Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State; the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; and the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.
Others are: Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh; Minister of State, Industry, Trade and Investment, Aisha Abubakar; Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Maikanti Baru; and Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala-Usman.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed deep condolences to the family of Alhaji Sale Hassan, who was until his death, an elder of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Plateau State.
He described the late veteran politician and community leader as “a tireless campaigner for peace in Plateau State and the entire country, who remained energetic until his final days. His legacy will remain with the nation for a long time.”
According to Buhari, “The greatest tribute the people in this country can pay to the late statesman is for all of us to strive for sustainable peace in all our communities.”
He prayed to Allah to give Alhaji Hassan’s family, the Jos community which he served till his last breath, and the government and people of Plateau State, the fortitude to bear the loss.